Thoughts about teens, tweens, parenting and this adventure of living on Earth in the 21st century.

October 26, 2009

Overcoming School Anxiety by Diane Peters Mayer

Ask any 6th-12th grader “What stresses you out?” and unless it’s the 4th of July the kid is likely to say without hesitation, school.Maybe it’s the social pressure pitting outsiders against insiders. Or the brain-numbing schedule flipping from The Treaty of Versailles to mitochondria to the Quadratic equation at 50 minute intervals. Perhaps it’s the crush who mercilessly crushed you or the coach who never lets you play. Whatever it is, waking up on a school day and wishing it was Saturday is totally normal. On the other hand, sometimes parents see kids resisting school with such ferocity that something else is going on. That something else may be School Refusal Behavior and it isn’t normal. Not as in: normal functioning. It’s a recognized anxiety disorder that takes “I don’t like school” to a whole other level where a child’s fears get in the way of … living.

In case this is all new to you, School Refusal Behavior has nothing to do with students preferring to slack off instead of going to class. Kids suffering with this are terrified of going to school. Even parents who never loved school may be baffled, embarrassed or frustrated by the child’s behavior.They may wonder, “Why can’t she just drop all this drama and get herself out the door?” If a parent isn’t informed, it’s a reasonable question.

Maggie Hahn, Clinical Coordinator of the Adolescent Psychiatric Unit at Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights, IL. has an answer:

“It breaks down into two reasons,” she says “Some (kids) are terrified of something in school, either taking tests, or thinking that the other kids are laughing at them. Others have actual separation anxiety, and are afraid that something bad will happen at home while they are gone.”

To give you a sense of what it can feel like for the kid, here are some emails I’ve gotten:

For some reason I don’t really fit in with other teens. I have a habit of making every situation with new friends really awkward or people think I am weird. I don’t do anything outright to make them think this but a lot of the time I don’t know what to say to someone I have just met and then I get nervous. I hate the way I am and it makes it really difficult for me to make friends in new environments. I guess I just don’t quite have the quick wit or sense of humor necessary to make people like me or something. Anyway my social anxiety is a big problem because I am going to a new school and leaving my two friends next year and I am going to have to make new ones and I don’t know how to get over my problems so people like me. Please help!

And this one:

I used to love to learn but it seems as though ever since 10th grade I’ve gotten slower and I know that I do suffer from anxiety, but of course mom doesn’t believe me. I want to get my life straight and I need help.

Doesn’t sound like much fun. And too many students suffering from School Anxiety don’t let anyone know how bad it is for them. That’s a shame, because these problems can be treated successfully. The first step is helping parents understand what is and what isn’t perfectly normal when their kids start to show signs of avoiding school. The other part is knowing what resources are out there to help parents help their kids.

Special thanks to our friend and musician/composer Curt Siffert who let us use his song, “Kingdom” for the opening of this podcast.

*What’s a podcast? “A podcast is a series of digital media files, usually either digital audio or video, that is made available for download via web syndication.” –Wikipedia… So, in this case, there’s an audio file for you to listen to (in addition to reading the above).

Great post on an area that needs more attention.
I suffered horribly from school phobia/refusal and in those days, no one really understood how to best treat it. Hopefully, things have improved since then.

The fears are real. In essence, it’s a feeling of utmost terror- panic. So if your child is suffering from this, please get him/her help asap.

I understand your point, about not wanting to go to work and wishing it was Saturday (especially if the work you’re doing isn’t especially fulfilling and/or your co-workers are not all that supportive) But the clinical definition of School Refusal Behavior (aka School Anxiety) contains a strong fear component as in “this child is terrified of going to school.” I’m sure there are some adults who experience fear and anxiety about their workplace, but I’m guessing it’s not often at the same level as kids who suffer from School Anxiety. The other important difference is that school attendance is compulsory for kids. If you truly hate your job for whatever reason, you have the freedom to quit. Kids don’t have that option. Plus they need the education in order to make the most of their futures. That’s why it’s so important for parents to get help for their kids if they fall into this category.

Annie, I really enjoyed your post. I remember one day my son, either 5 or 6, at the time was faking sickness every morning for a week. I noticed he always seemed better as the morning wore on, especially after the bus left. Turns out he was being punched on the bus by a bigger kid who was one year older.